Lori Dreier is a mixed media artist, musician and storyteller whose work lives at the intersection of faith and sexuality, identity, loss, humor, and resilience. Raised in rural Kansas and spending formative years in Fort Worth, Texas, Dreier grew up in a culture that valued hard work, faith and farming practicalities- while much of her creative life and essence was pulling toward something less predictable, more messy, and far more honest. Now, based on Bainbridge Island, she lives with her wife and two dogs and continues to create. Raised with a Midwestern work ethic, Dreier initially followed a "safe" career path before leaning more fully into her lifelong calling as an artist and musician.
Largely self-taught, Dreier has spent more than forty years creating art and music developing her voice as an artist while supporting herself through careers in media, marketing and other industries. Her creative process is rooted in raw instinct, musical rhythm and organic relationship with color, texture and story.
Working in India ink, watercolor, acrylic, text, found objects and reclaimed materials, Dreier creates layered works that move between abstraction and familiarity. Her use of earthy color, wiggly lines, white space and humor reflects a life shaped by conflicts of beliefs - Midwestern roots and practicality, spiritual wresting, same-sex love, illness, healing and the ongoing work of coming home to oneself.
Dreier playfully juxtaposes coming to the table for sweet and difficult conversation with the humor of a werewolf showing up to the supper party...She also plays with what she calls "dirty colors" - mixing, smearing and letting the India ink flow in graceful directions, revealing beauty through imperfection, wiggly lines, tension, and pauses.
Dreier's practice of listening, breathing and leaning into stillness deeply informs her art-making process. She approaches the paper or canvas much like songwriting; allowing the stories and ordinary life things to unfold. Her work invites viewers to pause, reflect and enter their own memories and questions.